


Hydrangeas

by poltergieist



Series: Flowers for Wolverines [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, X-23 (Comic)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Trauma, Daken and Laura hanging out and bantering is very important to me, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Laura did sex work as a minor in cannon and that is referenced but I don't go into detail i promise, Sibling Bonding, Talking About Trauma, but so is Daken and Laura realizing their trauma is similar in nature and talking it out, gabby is also mentioned, mentions of laura/sooraya, none of the abuse in this goes into detail, references NYX but it isn't required reading i promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 21:05:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19342621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poltergieist/pseuds/poltergieist
Summary: Laura and Daken's sibling day out takes a heavy turn as Laura stumbles across a person from a part of her past she hasn't thought about in a long time.





	Hydrangeas

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a few years since I've written a fic but I have a lot of love for Laura and her siblings and I've always craved more heavy stuff for them so! And yes I know like no one read NYX, but there's some very interesting Laura content.
> 
> This is set after All New Wolverine but there's no specific moment for it really.
> 
> I am not a sex worker or a CSA survivor so if I've said anything inaccurate/offensive in this work please let me know so I can change it immediately! I am going entirely off of my own research and want nothing more than to be respectful and accurate. I use the term prostitute in this work and I'm aware it isn't the preferred term for sex workers, however Laura uses it to describe herself in comic cannon so that's the term she uses again here. 
> 
> A big thank you to Drew for looking this over and all my friends that supported my whiny tweets I made while writing this, ya'll are the best!! <3

If you had told Laura a few years ago that she would willingly spend time with Daken, she would have called whoever was saying it certifiably insane. Tack on the fact that they’re meeting for coffee and it was Daken’s proposal in the first place?

Well, she doesn’t blame those of her friends that don’t believe her when she tells them what her plans are.

It’s a nice day in the city, late enough into fall that there’s a light breeze and the trees are a beautiful array of reds and oranges. She enjoys the walk to the coffee shop, she and Daken have met up there before on a few occasions as it’s one of the select cafes in the city he approves of. 

As she approaches, Laura isn’t surprised that Daken’s beat her there though she’s right on time; They’re both punctual people, but Daken is the more competitive one out of them, and she’s happy to give him silly victories like these whenever he wants. 

He tucks away his phone upon her approach and gestures to the seat across from him with a smirk. 

“I’ve already ordered that tea you like, should be out any minute.” he drawls, “Though why you won’t try the coffee here is beyond me, it’s some of the best in New York.”

No time wasted with courtesies, it’s good to know some things never change. 

“I have tried it, the first time you brought me here I got exactly what you recommended. I just like tea better.” Laura says. 

They’ve had this exact conversation several times and she suspects they’ll have it for years to come. 

“You can’t call what you drink tea,” Daken gripes with a pout, “I’ve given you actual tea and you have to admit that they’re completely different.”

Laura smiles and is saved from carrying on the conversation by a waitress approaching their table with their respective drinks. 

They sip in silence for a few moments before Laura speaks. 

“It’s been a while since you’ve been in town, how have you been?” She knows better than to ask what he’s been doing, the less she knows about his questionable schemes the better.  
Daken hums and sets down his drink. 

“About the same. Haven’t had to regrow any limbs lately so my tattoo artist remains ungraced by my presence.” he says, Laura snorting into her tea. “And you?”

“Good, keeping busy with some X-Men work now and again. Gabby and I have been working with Jean she’s got a good team together.” she says, “Sooraya’s been working with that group, the Champions, that’s where she and Gabby are today. I thought it would be nice for her to meet some people her age that weren’t from Xavier’s, so Soor took her to their HQ for the day.”

“Guess you can’t exactly send her ass to camp,” Daken says, “baby hero club is about as close as you get. Ready to have mini-spidey over at your house for a play-date?”

“Not even a little bit.” Laura replies dryly. 

_________

They chat at the cafe until their drinks are finished, deciding to take a walk in a nearby park afterwards to enjoy the day a little longer. 

They’re following one of the paths when Laura idly notices a woman walking their way, there’s a spark of familiarity about her but she can’t put her finger on it. 

She’s right in front of her when Laura realizes, stopping her in her tracks. 

“Jade.” The word leave her mouth involuntarily, causing the woman to stop with a start and look to her.

There’s a moment where Laura can tell she’s trying to figure out who she is and fails. 

“I-yeah that’s me,” She stutters, “do I know you?”

Laura’s heartbeat speeds up and she can sense Daken paying closer attention to the exchange as he hears it. 

“I’m sorry. We ah- we worked for the same man once a long time ago.” Laura says, hoping Jade will understand what she’s referring to. 

Much to her relief Jade’s eyes widen in realization only a moment after the words are out of her mouth. 

“Oh God,” Jade breathes “That's right I- I remember you. He called you baby right? None of us ever knew your name because you never spoke”

Laura nods, throat tight. 

“Sorry I didn’t recognize you, you were so young then and you dress a lot different now. We both do I guess.” Jade says softly. 

Only then does Jade seem to realize Daken next to her, causing her to stiffen up and eye Laura nervously. 

“Are you still...in the business?” she asks tentatively, glancing between her and Daken. 

“No, no this is my brother” Laura says firmly.

She feels Daken nod beside her. 

Jade immediately relaxes and meets Laura’s eyes. 

“Me either, not since Zebra died.” She says, “You were there that night before it happened right?” 

Laura nods and holds back a shudder as she recalls the way Zebra Daddy had beat Jade when she had fearfully reminded him that the John he was trying to send her to had put her in the hospital the last time she’d seen him. 

“You were able to get out, when Zebra died?” Laura asks. 

She figures Jade doesn’t know it was her that killed the man, some of the women that worked for Zebra Daddy that stuck around and worked under the pimp that took over had heard of her and what she did. Jade probably wouldn’t be talking to her right now if she had heard the same rumors. 

“Things went pretty much exactly like they did the first time around with the John he sent me to,” Jade’s gaze flicked to the ground and she grimaces at the memory, “I was in the hospital again and one of his lackeys was there to check-up, make sure I was still kickin’. 

Laura feels a sharp pang of guilt with those words. 

“He got the call with the news and hurried out, told me he’d be there to get me out in a few days. I didn’t wait up, at that point I'd had enough and called my sister. She took me upstate to her place and I recovered there, she helped me get a job and the rest is history I guess.” She says tiredly. 

Jade gives Laura a humorless smile as she ends her story with a shrug. 

“I’m sorry that I didn’t do anything that night,” Laura says quietly. “I regret not trying to stop him.”

Jade’s face morphs into a sad soft look. 

“Oh honey there was nothing you could have done, he just would have given it to you worse. Besides, it all worked out in the end, didn't it? I might not have ever gotten out if it didn’t work out like that.” Jade points out kindly. 

No, Laura thinks, I could have stopped him once and for all and then you would never even had to go to that John again in the first place. Never would have ended up in the hospital again.  
But there’s no point in telling Jade that. 

“I’m still sorry,” She persists. “And I know that we don’t really know each other but I’m glad it worked out for you, that things got better.”

Jade smiles softly and reaches out to give Laura’s hand a gentle squeeze. 

“So am I, and it looks like things got better for you too girl. Hope it stays that way, we deserve it.” Jade says, Laura’s eyes prickling with the threat of tears for a few seconds. 

“Sorry for stopping you, I’m sure you have somewhere you have to be.” Laura says, doing her best to pull herself together internally. 

“No I’m glad you stopped me,” Jade says honestly, “closure you know?”

Laura nods, the two say a brief goodbye and Jade is on her way again. 

She waits until Jade is out of sight before she turns to Daken, who’s been completely silent thus far. 

His expression is stormy and tight with emotion. They stay standing on the path, Laura patiently waiting for him to gather his thoughts and find the right words. 

When he finally breaks the silence his voice is stiff with controlled anger, “How young were you, when this man was your pimp?” Daken asks.

“I turned fifteen while I worked for him.” Laura replies calmly, looking ahead at the children playing in the park nearby.  
Laura can smell the rage rolling off of him so strongly it starts to affect her, when she looks back to her brother his fists are clenched so tightly his knuckles are pale. 

She gently touches his hand and he relaxes slightly. He breathes out slowly, collecting himself and reigning in his pheromones. 

Without a word he walks to a bench a few feet away and Laura follows, sitting next to him quietly. 

After a moment Daken looks to her and alongside that rage she sees anguish clearly reflected in his eyes

“When we first met you said to me that Logan told you about how I was raised, about Romulus and what he did to me,” Daken is concise, clearly trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. “he didn’t tell you everything Romulus did to me. I was a child when he took me, and he wanted to own me in every way possible. Laura, I was his plaything.”

Laura’s heart feels heavy with grief when she realizes what it is that Daken’s doing, the weight of what he’s confessing to her. She’s fully aware that vulnerability doesn’t come easy to him.

She reaches out, touching her pinky to his in the space between them on the bench in silent solidarity of his admission. He immediately intertwines their fingers tightly.

After a moment Daken continues, “I thought, or hoped at least, that you and Gabby had avoided that in your lives. Obviously you’re not innocent, either of you, but I thought you had been spared in that sense.”

Laura takes a moment to formulate her words, then presses on.

“Gabby has. If they were planning on ever doing it she must have been too young at the time she and the others managed to escape. They educated her of course, but she was never trained to use...all of her assets. That’s how they explained it to me, using every aspect of myself to an advantage.” 

Laura finds regardless of her effort there's a hardness to her tone. 

She takes a breath and plows on, “Becoming a prostitute, having a pimp...it was right after I had escaped from the lab, after meeting Logan for the first time, being taken by S.H.I.E.L.D and interrogated about my past. I had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to; I had been told what to do and how for my entire existence, being property was all I had ever known. So I went back to what I knew and I was used just like I always was, still empty of my own will.”

By now Laura’s voice has lost some of its firmness, growing quieter and more soft. 

“But eventually I got out and I found my place and my people,” she gives Daken’s hand a small squeeze, voice regaining strength as she continued “I learned who I was and I’m not anybody’s property anymore. I never will be again. It wasn’t easy to change, but I’ve come a long way and I learn more every day.”

Laura ends her explanation with a deep breath before looking to her brother.

He’s turned to face her as well at some point in the last few moments, face raw with several emotions that Laura is sure is reflected on her own face, Daken squeezing her hand a bit tighter.

“When we first met I was convinced we were nothing alike,” Daken’s lips twitch into a small smile “but you told me otherwise. Turns out you were right.”

Laura lets out a quiet snort of laughter, “I have my moments.”

They face forward, sitting in silence for a few beats before Laura speaks up once again.

“I punished myself for things out of my control for a long time, I don’t want the people I care about to do the same. I know I’ve told you before, but you’re family Daken and I’m always here if you need me.”

Daken’s smile is probably the softest and most unguarded she’s ever seen from him, a sight that fills her with warmth and affection. 

“Yeah I know, the same goes for me” he says. 

He lets go of her hand and rises from the bench, Daken’s expression shifting back to his default casual confidence as he offers her a hand up. 

“And that fills my monthly quota for touchy feely stuff.” he says.

Laura rolls her eyes with a smile as she stands, the two heading down the park path at a leisurely pace. 

“Gabby and Sooraya will be home in a bit. Let’s pick up dinner, your choice.” she says. 

“Letting the guest choose, how polite. There may be hope for you yet.” Daken says teasingly.

“Don’t flatter yourself, you’re the pickiest eater between the four of us.” Laura grins as Daken scoffs in mock offense. 

They continue to banter as they walk the path out of the park, Laura’s heart feeling a bit lighter than when she entered.

**Author's Note:**

> Hydrangeas - Gratitude for being understood / heartfelt emotion
> 
> Thanks for sticking out till the end!! Comments and kudos appreciated, feedback especially since it's been a while. 
> 
> Jade is a real character that has a very brief scene in NYX but she has like two lines of dialogue so I've pretty much made up her entire personality. It isn't cannon that she left sex work but for the sake of my plot her character was one I could use pretty freely.
> 
> Also thinking about writing more one shots with the snikt siblings so be on the look out !! They'll be less intense I swear.
> 
> Follow me on twitter @SHADOWMAGIKS to hear me cry about Laura on the regular among other things.


End file.
